Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Mystery no more...

Okay, I'll put it up now - it's being gifted tomorrow, and I am once again having my usual doubts and anxieties:
Kathy's vest - front
Project: 'Seda' vest from KnitPicks
Yarn: KnitPicks 'Wool of the Andes' 100% wool, Heathered Green
Started: March 6, 2007
Finished(including blocking): March 26, 2007

The edges are just lovely - steeking is my friend! But my favourite detail on this puppy, apart from the cabled edgings, is the back shaping:Kathy's vest - back

is that not the loveliest little patch? Pulls it in at the waist, and is such an original detail - I am generally pretty pleased with the way it's come out, but nervous... you know?

And because I was semi-organized, I made a felted gift bag, which I REALLY like, and may have to make for myself at some point:
One Skein Tote Bag
Project: Tote Bag from One Skein Knits (Leigh Radford)
Yarn: Lion Brand 'Wool' in Lemongrass and Dark Teal
Started: March 23, 2007
Finished: March 25, 2007

It's from One Skein Knits by Leigh Radford, but actually took more than 4...

and in other news, I got a whack of new stuff to knit up for Artisan Knitworks:New Toys!

eye candy!

finished the front of one this afternoon, Blue Bemidji frontso it's a quick knit, and so, so soft and pretty - this is totally the way to go - I can play with stuff, and be paid - very happy making!

And now, am also trying to finish the Indigo Fire socks from a few posts back, because I would like to knit non-matching socks for my nieces, who are turning 15 in a couple of weeks - the birthday celebrations have been moved up to Easter, and I am looking at at least 2 pairs of socks, maybe 3 (gives them each an extra one to mismatch) - so why am I typing? I've got to get a move on... later, dahlins...

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Mystery Abounds...

I have been plowing away on "the Mystery Project", hoping to get through most of it before my next shipment of yarn from Artisan Knitworks... my paid knitting...

When picking up a new project, apart from the obvious satisfaction of playing with yarn and making something tangible, I try to find something new to learn, because one of the wonderful things about knitting is that there is ALWAYS something new to learn. So, this project appealed to me in part because of its required steeking.

Steeking is not something I have ever done in my 37? 38? too high to count, my head hurts? years of knitting. I have seen it demonstrated on tape and in person, have read about it many, many times, and have always thought it was a good idea.

For other people.

For other people who know what they are doing.

Not for me. The thought of cutting that which I have lovingly wrought with my hands makes me turn cold and shudder.

Time to get over it. This project has three areas for steeking: the v-neck, and both armholes, all delineated by a 5-stitch band:
Steek I
being the (scared shitless) cautious soul that I am, I basted along the centre stitch, so I wouldn't lose my spot:Steek II

and incidentally, my instructions said to use bright contrasting yarn, hence the pink...

I then proceeded to crochet together half of the centre stitch with half of its neighboring stitch, and ended up with one nice row of single crochet:
Steek III
turned it around, and did the same for the other half of the centre stitch, giving me two very neat rows:
Steek IV
did it for all three steeks:
Steek VI
and then found the little bump in the middle of the centre stitch, which represents CUT CENTRAL:
Steek V

I tried to warm up my hands, gave serious thought to a shot of something highly alcoholic but refrained, and started cutting, very, very slowly...
Steek VII
and found this lovely little edge:Steek VIII

Look what happened...
Steek IX
a lovely, lovely edge along the neckline, which has suddenly assumed the v-shape it was always meant to have - the armholes are sleek and smooth, waiting for the cabled edging to finish them..

and I can breathe again...

I think maybe now I'll go for that drink, thank you...

Resources: Meg Swansen's Knitting
See Eunny Knit

Monday, March 19, 2007

Holy Waterslides, Batman!

Hard to believe just how big, how utterly humungazoid, Great Wolf Lodge actually is...

from the lobby with it's animatronic woodland creatures, to the arcade, to the waterpark, which was truly... well, huge!
Great Wolf Lodge

The waterslides themselves are six stories high (and man, were my legs feeling the burn after a couple of hours of climbing!), and three of them are absolutely terrific - one, just like a rollercoaster, with a conveyor belt to pull you to each drop, another like a raft ride, and the third - my personal favourite - like a giant toilet -you shoot down a steep drop to find yourself going around and around in a huge bowl until, finally, you plop down another drop and finish in the lazy river. Just like a turd, as my children gleefully pointed out. Ahh, life with boys...
SLIDES!
the view looking up at the slides from my post at our table, which was mercifully near the bar...

And I'm sorry, but there was nothing "lazy" about this river, which winds around the waterpark - the current was strong enough to rip the boys from their handholds on the wall...Lazy River?
But in a good way, of course...

so, we had a nice couple of days, did manage to get to Niagara Falls proper for a brief visit on the way home, and found ourselves back here by 2:30 Saturday afternoon, to two completely overjoyed dogs.

Then we noticed something odd about Maggie - her eyes, when she could open them, were white and filmed over. Even typing this makes me want to cry - I was convinced that she was going blind, and so rushed her over to the Emergency Clinic about 20 minutes away, after dropping the boys off at their dad's. After 4 1/2 hours, Maggie was diagnosed with an eye infection which can be idiopathic (no known cause), or can be a precursor to something more serious, for which bloodwork has been ordered.

The Emergency Clinic was a story in and of itself. Not a lot of people there, and I am still not sure why the wait was so very long, but in close quarters over a period of time, a group of obvious animal lovers can't help but bond. I met Ruby, an English Bulldog with a possibly dislocated hip. I met Darcy, a German Shepherd mix who had fallen on a piece of metal which was still lodged in his hip. A cat who had had surgery that morning in another town was dropped off in her little hospital bed, complete with IV, for observation. By far the saddest was a guy who came in with his cat, which was red and huge and had to be carried in a Tupperware bin, who was suffering from a urinary tract blockage. While we were waiting there, this poor cat, who had been in extreme pain since her arrival, died. Absolutely sad. As people and their animals were slowly seen and treated, there were heartfelt goodbyes and hopes for good luck. Absolutely an amazing experience. I think one of the most amazing things of all was Maggie, who sat quietly and patiently the whole time. Not a whimper, not a fidget. She looked up at me frequently as I spoke to her, eyes closed against the light, head resting on my knee. I am so impressed with her, I don't think I can articulate it properly. Generally, she is the nutty, wriggly one, but she proved herself to be a trouper bar none.

After two days of medicine and eye drops, her eyes look normal, no film, no white. She is nutty and wriggly and doing her best to make Charlie nuts. I am so thankful.
Maggie

In other news, did anyone else see the IQ Test on CBC last night? I did it along with everyone in the audience, and must say I am pleasantly surprised... not that I put a lot of weight on the concept of an IQ score - my years of training in Psychology cured me of that - but it was kind of neat to score higher than the surgeons, who scored the highest of all the test groups - these included Tattoo Artists, Entertainers, Fitness Instructors, Mayors, Millionaires and Radio DJ's. I think you can still do the test, if you're interested...

and today, we are back to normal - sigh... holidays just never last long enough... when's Easter Break???

Thursday, March 15, 2007

I Coulda Been a Contendah...

but alas, my Sock Madness group winners were all in by Tuesday morning, and I somehow sprained my thumb on the weekend, which slowed me up much more than I had expected...

but they are done now!
Mad Cows Done
Project: Mad Cow Socks for Sock Madness
Yarn(s): KnitPicks 'Essential' in Burnt Orange
Ruby Sapphire Yarns in 'Ariel'
Started: March 10, 2007
Finished: March 15, 2007


LOVE the short row heel - I made it slightly deeper and find it very comfortable and snug - I HATE baggy socks... the cast on was new for me, a figure 8 kind of thing - will post the link later - I couldn't make it very tight, so had to reinforce by sewing in more yarn -

however, I am happy, I really like the colours, and will wear them today as I whisk my young men off to Great Wolf Lodge for two days of waterslides, arcade games, and waterslides...

did I mention the waterslides? I had ordered myself a one piece swimsuit because at this point, I only have a tankini, and have visions of it flipping like an umbrella in the wind as I speed down these slides, making for a terrifying vision for adults and children alike - can you imagine the trauma that kind of vision might incur?

Still watching for the delivery guy - keep fingers crossed, and see y'all in a couple of days...

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Change (but not of the TIME variety) is good...

OH
P1000120P1000117

MY



P1000121

GOSH!!!


P1000123

Words fail me...

Time Change Kills

or at least, fatigues severely... and why are we moving our clocks ahead 3 weeks earlier than we usually do? Why, because the United States is, and we must follow - and in accordance with what may be perceived as difficulty with "authority", I am pissed...

but hell, it's sunny and melting out there, so I'll suffer...

PLUS it's March Break, and the boys and I have decided that we LOVE March Break - sure, we'll be tired much of the week because of the time change - but we can nap, or sleep in, or just assume our preferred positions of slug-ness... we can watch movies every night if we want to, and for some, March Break also makes the constant intake of junk food permissable... works for me (but not my ass, unfortunately)...

so yesterday I finished the foot and most of the heel of my first Sock Madness sock - surprising, since we were doing lots of things in between, but there you go...
P1000115
and I wasn't sure of the colours when I chose them - Miss Scarlett, did you recognize the burnt orange you sent me back in SP 9? But as it has progressed, I find myself really liking it - looks sunny and warm... like outside right now...

my other big news? This afternoon, the boys are ... wait for it...

getting haircuts!

Needless to say, I will be posting before and after shots...

Saturday, March 10, 2007

SOCK MADNESS

Yes, it's madness... 4 teams of 32 players, each team headed up by a sock knitter of renown... at the end of round one, only 16 players will remain on each team... it's nasty, cut-throat business, not for the squeamish of soul(sole) or tender of heart...

And I am SO in!

The weapons:
2.5mm circulars, and
P1000110
The pattern: must check the website before divulging, in case I am arrested by the copyright police...

The bridesmaid (you know, the one who gets tossed aside like so much sock yarn while more important socks are tended to; always the bridesmaid, never the bride):P1000104
These are the socks from Yarn Ahoy mentioned in my last post... pretty, although too lacy, as I said before

The boys will be busy much of the day working on all the new magic paraphernalia purchased yesterday, so I might be able to make a dent in these today...

the madness descends...

Friday, March 09, 2007

Socks Rule!

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor, Would
You be mine?
Could you be mine?"

Mr. Rogers

Abso-frigging-lutely GAWGEOUS out there - sunny, expected high of +7 C (yes, that is, in fact, a plus sign), first official day of March Break (YAY!!!), and to celebrate, I might take my young men into Toronto to visit the two premiere magic shops there... yes, we believe in magic...

and the mailman just left, after dropping off a shitload of sock yarn - yes, I said shitload - but I mean that in the nicest way possible!

FINALLY got my first kit for the 2007 edition of the Rockin' Sock club, which I won't show till next week just in case not all kits have been received - P1000114the pattern looks totally intriguing, with garter stitch heels and toes, ribbing on the sole and instep of the foot and then a lovely cabely leg...

couple of skeins from Pick Up Sticks, which I shouldn't have, but I did - my impulse control with regard to sock yarn, particularly the indie hand-dyed sock yarns popping up all over the place, is nil - zip, zilch, nada...
but really, look at those colours:P1000113

Duet sock yarn in teal and brown, with brown accent for heels and toes - so-o-o-o yummy...
Yarn Pirate in Kona
And from Sweet Sheep (I like to think of it as supporting Canadian industry as a whole - I play no favourites here), Sweet Socks yarn in Spring Tulips...

how do you improve on this? you anticipate the beginning of Sock Madness tomorrow, and try desperately to decide which two yarns, one solid, one variegated, to use... you try to decide how best to allocate your time with other projects, like this mystery project... P1000107oooohhhhh... aaaahhhhh...

all of life's decisions should be this difficult...

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

HEY! Still out there? Anyone?????

Lots of catching up to do - I have been more than remiss, I'm afraid...

First, can you say generous? Kind-hearted? Thoughtful beyond words? Oh, then you must be talking about Natalie, my newly-revealed Secret Pal!
Secret Pal
Honestly, it's overwhelming - yarn, a hand-knitted face cloth, Australian coasters, cake-shaped soap, a tote bag, sweets (and the cookies are totally addictive!), candles - wow! And as if that's not enough, Natalie also made me a counting bracelet, and a beaded stitch marker/row counter (which I am still trying to figure out) - it's beautiful, and orange, and all of it is just lovely - thank you so much!

In the three weeks since my last post, we have had snow, lost snow, had more, gotten warm, gotten VERY cold, and the screwiness continues - today's high is -10 C, but we are expecting +7 and rain by Saturday - truly the most bizarre winter I recall...

but my knitting has continued unabated... I finished my Jaywalkers - yarn is from Spunky Eclectic, but I don't want to name the colour because if she's watching, it'll be a dead giveaway - suffice it to say that photographing them in sub-zero temperatures was perfect... any guesses?Jaywalkers from Hell Finito

Also finished another sweater for Artisan Knitworks, 'Bemidji', which I love - love the yarn, love the pattern! Huge yarn, 10mm needles, and I think the cables really pop, more so than with the mohair and silk...
P1000098
but maybe that's just me...

I also finished off a sweater for a friend, whose sister had started it but been bogged down by the sleeves Wendy's sweater- so I reknit those and sewed it up, and in the process decided that, although I don't like sewing sweaters in general, I really like sewing raglans - if the decreases are done well, you get the nicest diagonals framing the seam, and I love to watch it develop...

so, with all this "free time "on my hands, I cast on a birthday gift for someone which will be seen later - I know, I know, the suspense is killing you, isn't it? And, as always, a pair of socks, thinking maybe for me, using Indigo Fire yarn from Yarn Ahoy!, (I just noticed that Maya of Yarn Ahoy is taking a 2-month sabbatical - keep your eyes open upon her return - her yarn and colours are beautiful!)and the toe-up Feather and Fan pattern by Wendy of Wendy Knits!
I really, really like the short row toe-up part of this sock, but find the heel a little, well, little for me, so for the next pair I will work in a heel flap - just feels a little snugger on the foot -

I am also not so excited about the feather and fan part - just me - but I had been thinking it was time for me to design my own damn socks, and I had in my mind something like this pattern, so when I found it, I thought I'd save on brain cells... but in my mind, the pattern was not lacy, more solid, with a similar wave action - so I will continue to scour my pattern dictionaries for the stitch pattern in my head, and will work my own design around it - pics of the sock to follow...

so there we are, all caught up - so what better place for a gratuitous kid picture?
Ben Knitting
Wait! What is that? Could it be... knitting???